The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has backed proposed laws that will further strengthen the capacity of the National Intelligence Community to contend with a rapidly deteriorating security environment.

Media release issue date: Friday, 25 March 2022

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has backed proposed laws that will further strengthen the capacity of the National Intelligence Community to contend with a rapidly deteriorating security environment. In its Review of the National Security Legislation Amendment (Comprehensive Review and Other Measures No. 1) Bill 2021, the PJCIS closely examined the Government response to several recommendations of the Comprehensive Review of the Legal Framework of the National Intelligence Community (Comprehensive Review), led by Dennis Richardson AC. This includes: enabling the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS), the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) and the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation (AGO) to undertake activities to produce intelligence where there is, or is likely to be, an imminent risk to the safety of an Australian person enabling ASIS, ASD and AGO to seek ministerial authorisation to produce intelligence on a class of Australian persons who are, or are likely to be, involved with a listed terrorist organisation allowing ASIS more flexibility to work with ASIO in the performance of its functions within Australia. Committee Chair Senator James Paterson said the laws address critical operational challenges currently experienced in the National Intelligence Community. 'These laws modernise the legal framework that binds and empowers our National Intelligence Community by giving them the tools they need to keep pace with an evolving security landscape,' Senator Paterson said. 'The Committee is satisfied that these tools are proportionate to the threat at large, and with only minor amendments, contain robust oversight mechanisms and privacy protections.' Further information on the review as well as a copy of the report can be obtained from the Committee’s website. Media enquiries Chair, Senator James Paterson Deborah Seccombe 0451 255 891 deborah.seccombe@aph.gov.au For background information Committee Secretariat (02) 6277 2360 pjcis@aph.gov.au For more information about this Committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to an inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the Committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) will hold a public hearing for its Review of the National Security Legislation Amendment (Comprehensive Review and Other Measures No. 1) Bill 2021 on Friday 25 February.

Media release issue date: Thursday, 24 February 2022

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) will hold a public hearing for its Review of the National Security Legislation Amendment (Comprehensive Review and Other Measures No. 1) Bill 2021 on Friday 25 February. The Committee will consider the Government response to a number of recommendations of the Comprehensive Review of the Legal Framework of the National Intelligence Community (Comprehensive Review) led by Dennis Richardson AC. This includes: enabling the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS), the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) and the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation (AGO) to undertake activities to produce intelligence where there is, or is likely to be, an imminent risk to the safety of an Australian person enabling ASIS, ASD and AGO to seek ministerial authorisation to produce intelligence on a class of Australian persons who are, or are likely to be, involved with a listed terrorist organisation removing the geographic limit requiring that ASIS activities undertaken to support ASIO in the performance of its functions be conducted outside Australia Committee Chair, Senator James Paterson said: “I look forward to hearing from both civil society and government witnesses to ensure that the legal framework that binds and empowers our National Intelligence Community is fit for purpose, and able to contend with our rapidly shifting security environment.” Public Hearing Details Friday, 25 February 2022 10AM – 4PM (AEST) Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra A program for the hearing can be found here. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, teleconference and video conference facilities may be used to connect witnesses to Committee Members. The hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website. Media Inquiries: Chair, Senator James Paterson via Deborah Seccombe on 0451 255 891 or deborah.seccombe@aph.gov.au For Background Information:  Committee Secretariat, Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, (02) 6277 2360 or pjcis@aph.gov.au. For more information about this Committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to an inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the Committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has commenced a review into proposed new laws, to address critical operational challenges that national intelligence agencies face, in a rapidly evolving security environment.

Media release issue date: Friday, 26 November 2021

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has commenced a review into proposed new laws to address critical operational challenges, that national intelligence agencies face, in a rapidly evolving security environment. The National Security Legislation Amendment (Comprehensive Review and Other Measures No. 1) Bill 2021 implements the Government response to several recommendations of the Comprehensive Review of the Legal Framework of the National Intelligence Community (Comprehensive Review) led by Dennis Richardson AC. The measures in the Bill improve the legislative framework governing the National Intelligence Community (NIC) by addressing key operational challenges facing the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS), the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation (AGO), the Defence Intelligence Organisation (DIO) and the Office of National Intelligence (ONI). The Bill also includes amendments recommended by the 2017 Independent Intelligence Review (IIR) and other measures intended to address important and pressing issues facing these agencies. PJCIS Chair Senator James Paterson said it was clear that Australia’s threat environment had evolved. ‘While we need to ensure that our intelligence agencies have the very best tools at their disposal to keep pace with emerging and evolving threats, we also need to ensure that these tools are proportionate and have robust oversight mechanisms,’ Senator Paterson said. The Committee requests submissions to the inquiry by Thursday 3 February 2022. Further information about making a submission to a committee inquiry can be found at the following link. Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website. Media inquiries Chair, Senator James Paterson via Deborah Seccombe 0451 255 891 deborah.seccombe@aph.gov.au For background information Committee Secretariat, Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (02) 6277 2360 pjcis@aph.gov.au For more information about this Committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to an inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the Committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.